Make, Create, Innovate: Design Expo 2016

What do a satellite tag anchoring system for Humpback whales, a pandemic ventilator for third world countries, a 793-mpg supermileage vehicle and a low-cost avalanche beacon have in common?

They're all student projects on display at Michigan Tech's 16th annual Design Expo on Thursday, April 14, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom on the Michigan Technological University campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The expo showcases the breadth and depth of undergraduate project work with more than 600 students participating. They pursue projects in two categories: Michigan Tech’s Enterprise and senior

What do a satellite tag anchoring system for Humpback whales, a pandemic ventilator for third world countries, a 793-mpg supermileage vehicle and a low-cost avalanche beacon have in common?

They're all student projects on display at Michigan Tech's 16th annual Design Expo on Thursday, April 14, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom on the Michigan Technological University campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The expo showcases the breadth and depth of undergraduate project work with more than 600 students participating. They pursue projects in two categories: Michigan Tech’s Enterprise and senior design programs.

Industry, Design, Enterprise

Projects and posters will on display throughout the day. A panel of judges comprised of corporate representatives and university faculty and staff will critique the projects. Many of the projects are sponsored by industry. Design Expo event sponsors include ITC Holdings, Black & Veatch, American Transmission Co, Code Blue, Kimberly-Clark, Miller Electric, Plexus, as well as Michigan Tech Alumni Association and the university’s Office of Innovation and Industry Engagement.

Michigan Tech’s innovative Enterprise program is open to all majors and facilitates interdisciplinary learning, leadership development and team-based project work. Diverse teams of first-year through graduate-level students develop products, processes, and services within their market space, with multiyear participation.

Senior Design challenges teams of highly dedicated senior-level students to explore and address real-world design challenges in their final year. The program connects students and industry sponsors through open-ended projects where teams follow the complete design process from ideation to realization.

For a complete schedule of events—and a full list of teams and projects on display at the Expo—visit www.expo.mtu.edu.

Related Stories

]]></body></html>What do a satellite tag anchoring system for Humpback whales, a pandemic ventilator for third world countries, a 793-mpg supermileage vehicle and a low-cost avalanche beacon have in common?

They're all student projects on display at Michigan Tech's 16th annual Design Expo on Thursday, April 14, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom on the Michigan Technological University campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The expo showcases the breadth and depth of undergraduate project work with more than 600 students participating. They pursue projects in two categories: Michigan Tech’s Enterprise and senior

What do a satellite tag anchoring system for Humpback whales, a pandemic ventilator for third world countries, a 793-mpg supermileage vehicle and a low-cost avalanche beacon have in common?

They're all student projects on display at Michigan Tech's 16th annual Design Expo on Thursday, April 14, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom on the Michigan Technological University campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The expo showcases the breadth and depth of undergraduate project work with more than 600 students participating. They pursue projects in two categories: Michigan Tech’s Enterprise and senior design programs.

Industry, Design, Enterprise

Projects and posters will on display throughout the day. A panel of judges comprised of corporate representatives and university faculty and staff will critique the projects. Many of the projects are sponsored by industry. Design Expo event sponsors include ITC Holdings, Black & Veatch, American Transmission Co, Code Blue, Kimberly-Clark, Miller Electric, Plexus, as well as Michigan Tech Alumni Association and the university’s Office of Innovation and Industry Engagement.

Michigan Tech’s innovative Enterprise program is open to all majors and facilitates interdisciplinary learning, leadership development and team-based project work. Diverse teams of first-year through graduate-level students develop products, processes, and services within their market space, with multiyear participation.

Senior Design challenges teams of highly dedicated senior-level students to explore and address real-world design challenges in their final year. The program connects students and industry sponsors through open-ended projects where teams follow the complete design process from ideation to realization.

For a complete schedule of events—and a full list of teams and projects on display at the Expo—visit www.expo.mtu.edu.

Michigan Tech Ranks #2 in State for Value of an Education

SmartAsset, a digital financial analysis company, has released its second annual study comparing the cost of a college education to graduates’ average starting salaries. As it did last year, Michigan Technological University ranked second in the state, topped only by the University of Michigan.

The study ranked 29 public and private colleges and universities across Michigan. University of Michigan scored 83.2, while Michigan Tech scored 82.3.No other college or university in Michigan scored above 70. Scores were determined based on a scale that assigns about 25 percent weight to starting salary, tuition and living costs, with lesser weight

SmartAsset, a digital financial analysis company, has released its second annual study comparing the cost of a college education to graduates’ average starting salaries. As it did last year, Michigan Technological University ranked second in the state, topped only by the University of Michigan.

The study ranked 29 public and private colleges and universities across Michigan. University of Michigan scored 83.2, while Michigan Tech scored 82.3.No other college or university in Michigan scored above 70. Scores were determined based on a scale that assigns about 25 percent weight to starting salary, tuition and living costs, with lesser weight given to scholarships, grants and student retention from one year to the next.

Michigan Tech, UM Score High

Both top-ranking universities cost approximately $26,000 a year for in-state students to attend, including tuition and living expenses.Michigan Tech graduates’ average starting salary was $62,800, while the average starting salary of UM graduates was $58,000.

“We're starting to see more and more organizations and the public in general analyzing universities by how many students leave with successful, rewarding, high paying careers, rather than how many students a university denies admission,” said John Lehman, Michigan Tech’s associate vice president for enrollment, marketing and communications. “This mirrors what we know our students and their parents want in a university. We're pleased that SmartAsset recognizes that.”

Other schools ranked

Coming in third in SmartAsset’s value ranking was private, Flint-based Kettering University, with the state’s highest average starting salary at $64,700 but also the third-highest tuition rate at $35,600, producing a value score of 69.7. Michigan State University at 62.1 and private Lawrence Technological University in Southfield at 55.8 rounded out the top five schools. Wayne State University placed 10th.

In a similar nationwide study by SmartAsset, Michigan Tech ranked 11th in the country.

Related Stories

]]></body></html>SmartAsset, a digital financial analysis company, has released its second annual study comparing the cost of a college education to graduates’ average starting salaries. As it did last year, Michigan Technological University ranked second in the state, topped only by the University of Michigan.

The study ranked 29 public and private colleges and universities across Michigan. University of Michigan scored 83.2, while Michigan Tech scored 82.3.No other college or university in Michigan scored above 70. Scores were determined based on a scale that assigns about 25 percent weight to starting salary, tuition and living costs, with lesser weight

SmartAsset, a digital financial analysis company, has released its second annual study comparing the cost of a college education to graduates’ average starting salaries. As it did last year, Michigan Technological University ranked second in the state, topped only by the University of Michigan.

The study ranked 29 public and private colleges and universities across Michigan. University of Michigan scored 83.2, while Michigan Tech scored 82.3.No other college or university in Michigan scored above 70. Scores were determined based on a scale that assigns about 25 percent weight to starting salary, tuition and living costs, with lesser weight given to scholarships, grants and student retention from one year to the next.

Michigan Tech, UM Score High

Both top-ranking universities cost approximately $26,000 a year for in-state students to attend, including tuition and living expenses.Michigan Tech graduates’ average starting salary was $62,800, while the average starting salary of UM graduates was $58,000.

“We're starting to see more and more organizations and the public in general analyzing universities by how many students leave with successful, rewarding, high paying careers, rather than how many students a university denies admission,” said John Lehman, Michigan Tech’s associate vice president for enrollment, marketing and communications. “This mirrors what we know our students and their parents want in a university. We're pleased that SmartAsset recognizes that.”

Other schools ranked

Coming in third in SmartAsset’s value ranking was private, Flint-based Kettering University, with the state’s highest average starting salary at $64,700 but also the third-highest tuition rate at $35,600, producing a value score of 69.7. Michigan State University at 62.1 and private Lawrence Technological University in Southfield at 55.8 rounded out the top five schools. Wayne State University placed 10th.

In a similar nationwide study by SmartAsset, Michigan Tech ranked 11th in the country.

Clean Snowmobile Challenge Winners Announced

The local ski shop in Houghton, Michigan has held an “El Nino is a Jerk” sale all winter. But in spite of the warm temperatures and melting snow, students from around the northern hemisphere gathered at Michigan Technological University to test their cleaner, quieter snowmobiles.

The Clean Snowmobile Challenge is an annual competition through SAE International, hosted by Michigan Tech’s Keweenaw Research Center and the Department of Mechanical Engineering –Engineering Mechanics. The events and tests are held north of Houghton at the Keweenaw Research Center, where student teams run a gambit of tests ranging from a 100-mile Endurance Run to

The local ski shop in Houghton, Michigan has held an “El Nino is a Jerk” sale all winter. But in spite of the warm temperatures and melting snow, students from around the northern hemisphere gathered at Michigan Technological University to test their cleaner, quieter snowmobiles.

The Clean Snowmobile Challenge is an annual competition through SAE International, hosted by Michigan Tech’s Keweenaw Research Center and the Department of Mechanical Engineering –Engineering Mechanics. The events and tests are held north of Houghton at the Keweenaw Research Center, where student teams run a gambit of tests ranging from a 100-mile Endurance Run to oral presentations to noise and emissions measurements. They compete in three categories: internal combustion, diesel utility class and zero emissions.

Winners

Internal combustion is the largest category. The University of Wisconsin-Madison team, winners of last year’s competition, took home the traveling MacLean-Fogg Cup again and the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association award for first place overall. They also set the bar for clean and quiet: taking home awards for lowest in service emissions sponsored by Sensors, Inc. and quietest snowmobile sponsored by the PCB Group, as well as the SAE International award for best overall internal combustion design.

Competition was stiff, however, and the runner-up teams in internal combustion were close behind. École De Technologie Supérieure and Clarkson University placed second in a virtual tie, the final competition points were within 0.1 percent of each other. École De Technologie Supérieure also took home the best safety award; Clarkson also won the CAMSO best performance award.

The zero emissions category, which covers electric snowmobiles, posed a major challenge. The category is of interest to many research organizations seeking ways to travel in polar regions without contaminating experiment samples. Lapland University of Applied Sciences, the winners from last year, also took the lead again this year, winning the John Deere Electronic Solutions award for first place. They also won best overall electric design from SAE International. Lapland also traveled 19.2 miles on a single charge, the second longest miles achieved in CSC history. Michigan Tech had the second highest point score and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology was third. However, both failed to compete in the distance event.

Although a smaller category—with only two teams competing—the diesel utility class represent a unique group, one that students say focuses on hard work over performance, which is important for agricultural and small engine-based industries. North Dakota State University once again placed first receiving the John Deere Power Systems award. The University of Buffalo team was unable to compete in the emission and range test, but they were recognized by DENSO and BASF for their bold use of a very modern diesel engine with the Innovation award and the Best of the Best award, respectively.

Besides the overall winners, other teams caught the attention of the judges for their work in specific areas.

Rochester Institute of Technology won the AVL best overall IC lab emissions award—meeting the high standards of the mechanical engineers and companies assessing the snowmobiles. They also won a portable 5-gas analyzer from Horiba to help them in future years. This is the second year Horiba has acknowledged a “Team in Need.” The University of Idaho won the Gage Products best fuel economy, a crucial part of making the students’ prototypes both cleaner and marketable; they also took home the Faurecia award for most innovative emissions design and the ENovations “Can-Do E-Controls Award.”

Marketability is considered important for the teams and weighs in on the teams’ scores. Kettering University is the Blue Ribbon Coalition most practical design winner while the University of Idaho won the Kohler “most likely to be manufactured” award. Perhaps the most prestigious award won by the University of Idaho is the Founders award for being the Most Sportsmanlike in the eyes of other teams.

Another aspect is usability; after all, snowmobiles need to be fun to ride. The University of Wisconsin–Platteville took both awards for Woody's best acceleration and Polaris Industries best handling. They also won the Hayes Performance Systems Trail Trac Award.

The University of Minnesota Duluth won the Mahle Powertrain best engine design. Michigan Tech won the Continental Emitec award for best value.

Noise and Emissions

The Keweenaw Research Center shop is a wide-open space, separated with toolboxes and tapelines. The main room smells like oil, with a strong whiff of hurry up and wait. Students and volunteers wearing safety glasses pack the room. Lounging doesn’t last long as teams are called up to run diagnostic tests and have their sleds looked over.

Each test is meant to assess a different aspect of emissions and noise control for the sleds. This Unscripted story dives deep into what it takes to engineer a cleaner, quieter sled. It's no easy feat—the students prepare for months in advance and have to meet the high standards set by SAE International to even compete. The work has real meaning, though: Just this past fall in Michigan, for example, the Department of Natural Resources announced they would be cracking down on snowmobile noise on state trails.

"We want to challenge students to create better, cleaner and quieter sleds," says Sean Egmon, from the sponsoring company AVL North America, who oversees the emissions tests. “It’s not easy, but some of these teams were innovative and really rose to the occasion.”

The process is nerve wracking for the teams, however.

“It’s heartbreaking, watching all your hard work for the past year get tested in a matter of minutes,” commented one team member from University of Wisconsin–Madison. “This is the make it or break it event.”

Endurance Run

Another all or nothing event is the Endurance Run. To pass this test, students drive their snowmobile from the Keweenaw Research Center to Copper Harbor, a 100-mile trip. Not everyone makes it.

This year, teams had to contend with warm weather—not ideal for engines designed to operate through the cold winter months. Because of temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Fahrenheit, only six teams made it: Clarkson University, École De Technologie Supérieure, University of Idaho, Michigan Tech, University of Wisconsin–Platteville and the University of Waterloo.

Next Year

The Keweenaw Peninsula is practically guaranteed to have snow, making it an ideal winter wonderland for hosting the Clean Snowmobile Challenge. Next year’s registration opens in October.

Jay Meldrum, one of the event organizers and director of the Keweenaw Research Center, hopes to continue expanding the event. He especially hopes for more competitors in the zero emissions and diesel utility categories.

“The gauntlet is thrown,” Meldrum says, challenging students to push into these newer and sometimes more challenging arenas. “We now have good competition and success in the internal combustion category, but just a few years ago, barely half the sleds ever made it out of the shop. I want to see this in electric and diesel.”

Related Stories

]]></body></html>The local ski shop in Houghton, Michigan has held an “El Nino is a Jerk” sale all winter. But in spite of the warm temperatures and melting snow, students from around the northern hemisphere gathered at Michigan Technological University to test their cleaner, quieter snowmobiles.

The Clean Snowmobile Challenge is an annual competition through SAE International, hosted by Michigan Tech’s Keweenaw Research Center and the Department of Mechanical Engineering –Engineering Mechanics. The events and tests are held north of Houghton at the Keweenaw Research Center, where student teams run a gambit of tests ranging from a 100-mile Endurance Run to

The local ski shop in Houghton, Michigan has held an “El Nino is a Jerk” sale all winter. But in spite of the warm temperatures and melting snow, students from around the northern hemisphere gathered at Michigan Technological University to test their cleaner, quieter snowmobiles.

The Clean Snowmobile Challenge is an annual competition through SAE International, hosted by Michigan Tech’s Keweenaw Research Center and the Department of Mechanical Engineering –Engineering Mechanics. The events and tests are held north of Houghton at the Keweenaw Research Center, where student teams run a gambit of tests ranging from a 100-mile Endurance Run to oral presentations to noise and emissions measurements. They compete in three categories: internal combustion, diesel utility class and zero emissions.

Winners

Internal combustion is the largest category. The University of Wisconsin-Madison team, winners of last year’s competition, took home the traveling MacLean-Fogg Cup again and the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association award for first place overall. They also set the bar for clean and quiet: taking home awards for lowest in service emissions sponsored by Sensors, Inc. and quietest snowmobile sponsored by the PCB Group, as well as the SAE International award for best overall internal combustion design.

Competition was stiff, however, and the runner-up teams in internal combustion were close behind. École De Technologie Supérieure and Clarkson University placed second in a virtual tie, the final competition points were within 0.1 percent of each other. École De Technologie Supérieure also took home the best safety award; Clarkson also won the CAMSO best performance award.

The zero emissions category, which covers electric snowmobiles, posed a major challenge. The category is of interest to many research organizations seeking ways to travel in polar regions without contaminating experiment samples. Lapland University of Applied Sciences, the winners from last year, also took the lead again this year, winning the John Deere Electronic Solutions award for first place. They also won best overall electric design from SAE International. Lapland also traveled 19.2 miles on a single charge, the second longest miles achieved in CSC history. Michigan Tech had the second highest point score and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology was third. However, both failed to compete in the distance event.

Although a smaller category—with only two teams competing—the diesel utility class represent a unique group, one that students say focuses on hard work over performance, which is important for agricultural and small engine-based industries. North Dakota State University once again placed first receiving the John Deere Power Systems award. The University of Buffalo team was unable to compete in the emission and range test, but they were recognized by DENSO and BASF for their bold use of a very modern diesel engine with the Innovation award and the Best of the Best award, respectively.

Besides the overall winners, other teams caught the attention of the judges for their work in specific areas.

Rochester Institute of Technology won the AVL best overall IC lab emissions award—meeting the high standards of the mechanical engineers and companies assessing the snowmobiles. They also won a portable 5-gas analyzer from Horiba to help them in future years. This is the second year Horiba has acknowledged a “Team in Need.” The University of Idaho won the Gage Products best fuel economy, a crucial part of making the students’ prototypes both cleaner and marketable; they also took home the Faurecia award for most innovative emissions design and the ENovations “Can-Do E-Controls Award.”

Marketability is considered important for the teams and weighs in on the teams’ scores. Kettering University is the Blue Ribbon Coalition most practical design winner while the University of Idaho won the Kohler “most likely to be manufactured” award. Perhaps the most prestigious award won by the University of Idaho is the Founders award for being the Most Sportsmanlike in the eyes of other teams.

Another aspect is usability; after all, snowmobiles need to be fun to ride. The University of Wisconsin–Platteville took both awards for Woody's best acceleration and Polaris Industries best handling. They also won the Hayes Performance Systems Trail Trac Award.

The University of Minnesota Duluth won the Mahle Powertrain best engine design. Michigan Tech won the Continental Emitec award for best value.

Noise and Emissions

The Keweenaw Research Center shop is a wide-open space, separated with toolboxes and tapelines. The main room smells like oil, with a strong whiff of hurry up and wait. Students and volunteers wearing safety glasses pack the room. Lounging doesn’t last long as teams are called up to run diagnostic tests and have their sleds looked over.

Each test is meant to assess a different aspect of emissions and noise control for the sleds. This Unscripted story dives deep into what it takes to engineer a cleaner, quieter sled. It's no easy feat—the students prepare for months in advance and have to meet the high standards set by SAE International to even compete. The work has real meaning, though: Just this past fall in Michigan, for example, the Department of Natural Resources announced they would be cracking down on snowmobile noise on state trails.

"We want to challenge students to create better, cleaner and quieter sleds," says Sean Egmon, from the sponsoring company AVL North America, who oversees the emissions tests. “It’s not easy, but some of these teams were innovative and really rose to the occasion.”

The process is nerve wracking for the teams, however.

“It’s heartbreaking, watching all your hard work for the past year get tested in a matter of minutes,” commented one team member from University of Wisconsin–Madison. “This is the make it or break it event.”

Endurance Run

Another all or nothing event is the Endurance Run. To pass this test, students drive their snowmobile from the Keweenaw Research Center to Copper Harbor, a 100-mile trip. Not everyone makes it.

This year, teams had to contend with warm weather—not ideal for engines designed to operate through the cold winter months. Because of temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Fahrenheit, only six teams made it: Clarkson University, École De Technologie Supérieure, University of Idaho, Michigan Tech, University of Wisconsin–Platteville and the University of Waterloo.

Next Year

The Keweenaw Peninsula is practically guaranteed to have snow, making it an ideal winter wonderland for hosting the Clean Snowmobile Challenge. Next year’s registration opens in October.

Jay Meldrum, one of the event organizers and director of the Keweenaw Research Center, hopes to continue expanding the event. He especially hopes for more competitors in the zero emissions and diesel utility categories.

“The gauntlet is thrown,” Meldrum says, challenging students to push into these newer and sometimes more challenging arenas. “We now have good competition and success in the internal combustion category, but just a few years ago, barely half the sleds ever made it out of the shop. I want to see this in electric and diesel.”

Michigan Tech tied for 82nd with the University of Central Florida, the University of Cincinnati, the University of New Mexico and the University of Texas-Arlington.

Engineering Departments Move Up

Four engineering disciplines also rose in the graduate rankings.

Civil Engineering—62nd (from 63rd last year)

Computer Engineering—91st (from 95th last year)

Electrical Engineering—88th (from 92nd last year)

Mechanical Engineering—51st (from 53rd last year)

Biomedical Engineering ranked the same as last year: 63rd nationwide. Tech’s biomedical engineering program has only been ranked for three years and has climbed quickly to become one of the highest-ranked biomedical engineering programs not affiliated with a medical school.

“We are proud that our graduate programs in engineering are being recognized for their quality by this ranking,” said Wayne Pennington, dean of the College of Engineering. “The competition for quality faculty, staff and graduate students in engineering is strong these days, and Michigan Tech has been successful in maintaining and even improving on its high standards of academic excellence and research, affirming our long-term dedication to those standards.”

How the Rankings Are Done

US News & World Report’s annual graduate rankings are based on two types of data, according to the magazine’s web site: statistical data and peer assessment of the quality of the program. This year, US News surveyed 215 engineering schools that grant doctoral degrees. They rated factors including peer assessment, recruiter assessment, student selectivity, Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores, acceptance rate, faculty resources, student-faculty ratio, research activity of faculty, total research expenditures and average research expenditure per faculty member.

Engineering disciplines such as mechanical or civil engineering were ranked solely on peer assessments from department heads in each specialty.

Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences, an engineering department at Michigan Tech, is not ranked as an engineering specialty by US News & World Report.It is included in the ranking of graduate science programs, under earth sciences, and that ranking was not done this year.

"It is wonderful to see that Michigan Tech's overall ranking for graduate programs in engineering is among the top 100 in the nation,” said Provost Jackie Huntoon. “It is great for the University as a whole to have graduate programs in our largest college receive this sort of recognition. This will put our name and offerings in front of prospective students who may be unfamiliar with us and should help us to recruit increasingly promising scholars going forward.”

Jacque Smith, director of graduate enrollment services in the Michigan Tech Graduate School, was pleased to learn of the new rankings. “We have seen a steady increase in the academic quality of students being accepted to our graduate programs. Our increase in rankings is a direct reflection of the excellence of Michigan Tech's faculty, students, and facilities,” he said.

Michigan Tech tied for 82nd with the University of Central Florida, the University of Cincinnati, the University of New Mexico and the University of Texas-Arlington.

Engineering Departments Move Up

Four engineering disciplines also rose in the graduate rankings.

Civil Engineering—62nd (from 63rd last year)

Computer Engineering—91st (from 95th last year)

Electrical Engineering—88th (from 92nd last year)

Mechanical Engineering—51st (from 53rd last year)

Biomedical Engineering ranked the same as last year: 63rd nationwide. Tech’s biomedical engineering program has only been ranked for three years and has climbed quickly to become one of the highest-ranked biomedical engineering programs not affiliated with a medical school.

“We are proud that our graduate programs in engineering are being recognized for their quality by this ranking,” said Wayne Pennington, dean of the College of Engineering. “The competition for quality faculty, staff and graduate students in engineering is strong these days, and Michigan Tech has been successful in maintaining and even improving on its high standards of academic excellence and research, affirming our long-term dedication to those standards.”

How the Rankings Are Done

US News & World Report’s annual graduate rankings are based on two types of data, according to the magazine’s web site: statistical data and peer assessment of the quality of the program. This year, US News surveyed 215 engineering schools that grant doctoral degrees. They rated factors including peer assessment, recruiter assessment, student selectivity, Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores, acceptance rate, faculty resources, student-faculty ratio, research activity of faculty, total research expenditures and average research expenditure per faculty member.

Engineering disciplines such as mechanical or civil engineering were ranked solely on peer assessments from department heads in each specialty.

Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences, an engineering department at Michigan Tech, is not ranked as an engineering specialty by US News & World Report.It is included in the ranking of graduate science programs, under earth sciences, and that ranking was not done this year.

"It is wonderful to see that Michigan Tech's overall ranking for graduate programs in engineering is among the top 100 in the nation,” said Provost Jackie Huntoon. “It is great for the University as a whole to have graduate programs in our largest college receive this sort of recognition. This will put our name and offerings in front of prospective students who may be unfamiliar with us and should help us to recruit increasingly promising scholars going forward.”

Jacque Smith, director of graduate enrollment services in the Michigan Tech Graduate School, was pleased to learn of the new rankings. “We have seen a steady increase in the academic quality of students being accepted to our graduate programs. Our increase in rankings is a direct reflection of the excellence of Michigan Tech's faculty, students, and facilities,” he said.

David Brule Sr., an alumnus and longtime supporter of Michigan Technological University, has donated $250,000 to support student scholarships in electrical engineering.Scholarships totaling $50,000 will be awarded each year for five years.

The scholarships are designed to promote the study of electrical power engineering.Recipients of these scholarships will be designated as Systems Control Scholars, in recognition of Brule’s Iron Mountain, Michigan-based company: Systems Control.

The first recipients have been chosen and will be honored at a luncheon on campus on Thursday, February 25.They are Ester Buhl, Lauren Clark, Dustin Hanes, Zachary Jensen, Jonathan Schulz, Casey Strom and

David Brule Sr., an alumnus and longtime supporter of Michigan Technological University, has donated $250,000 to support student scholarships in electrical engineering.Scholarships totaling $50,000 will be awarded each year for five years.

The scholarships are designed to promote the study of electrical power engineering.Recipients of these scholarships will be designated as Systems Control Scholars, in recognition of Brule’s Iron Mountain, Michigan-based company: Systems Control.

The first recipients have been chosen and will be honored at a luncheon on campus on Thursday, February 25.They are Ester Buhl, Lauren Clark, Dustin Hanes, Zachary Jensen, Jonathan Schulz, Casey Strom and Troy Johnston, all electrical engineering majors.

“The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department has a wonderful relationship with Mr. Brule going back many years, and we are truly grateful for everything that he has done, not only for us but for all of Michigan Tech,” said Dan Fuhrmann, chair of the department. “Dave and his colleagues at Systems Control recognize that it is going to take a special effort to meet future workforce needs in power and energy, and they have really raised the bar in terms of the philanthropic response to that need. We are of course delighted that he has chosen to direct his support toward Michigan Tech ECE students,” he added.

Scholarship Winners Speak

“This extremely generous award will have a huge impact on the development of my educational and professional career,” said scholarship winner Lauren Clark, a second-year electrical engineering student from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “I can’t thank Systems Control enough for the opportunities they have given me. I hope to be successful in the power industry, designing economical solutions for people’s energy needs.”

Another recipient, Casey Strom, is a 41-year-old non-traditional student from Calumet. Already a Michigan Tech alumnus in surveying, he decided to return to Tech to earn a second degree in electrical engineering with a focus in power. “My current status makes me ineligible for financial aid other than unsubsidized student loans,” he said. “This scholarship provides capital to help fund my dream of pursuing a career in electric power engineering. This scholarship not only affects me, but my entire family, and makes this endeavor a possibility.”

Both Clark and Strom hope to work for Systems Control.

“Systems Control fully understands the value of the education a Michigan Tech engineer receives,” said Dave Brule. “Newly minted Tech graduates are productive and contribute to their new employer’s mission virtually from day one of employment. Systems Control employs 46 Tech alums currently, and we are actively recruiting more.

A Future at Systems Control

“I am pleased to be able to support the educational and career goals of aspiring electrical engineers with the establishment of the Systems Control Scholarship program,” he went on to say. “It is our goal to attract the best and the brightest among Tech’s electrical engineering students as Systems Control Scholars. We hope to employ them full time upon graduation.

“The power generation, transmission and control industry is in the midst of significant growth and change,” Brule pointed out. “The development of distributed energy, clean technology, grid modernization and grid hardening represent substantial opportunities for years to come, for Systems Control and its customers. We need to develop, attract and retain the best and the brightest to this exciting field, such that Systems Control can continue in its leadership role as North America’s largest manufacturer of electrical control panels and substation equipment enclosures.”

Systems Control, a division of Northern Star Industries, Inc., is North America’s leader in the design and manufacture of engineered solutions that enable the reliable delivery of energy. The company employs more than 500 people at its Iron Mountain facility, providing engineered solutions for the production of electrical control panels, sub-station control enclosures, energy storage enclosures and electrical transmission protection services.

Houghton SmartZone Office

“Our solutions help energy transmission companies bring power from the source of generation to the consumer,” said David Rowe, manager of Systems Control’s Houghton SmartZone office.

The company’s SmartZone office opened last May and now employs three full-time staff—all Michigan Tech alumni—and seven interns from the University. Rowe said he can see an additional 10 to 15 Systems Control employees in Houghton within a year or two.

Related Stories

]]></body></html>David Brule Sr., an alumnus and longtime supporter of Michigan Technological University, has donated $250,000 to support student scholarships in electrical engineering.Scholarships totaling $50,000 will be awarded each year for five years.

The scholarships are designed to promote the study of electrical power engineering.Recipients of these scholarships will be designated as Systems Control Scholars, in recognition of Brule’s Iron Mountain, Michigan-based company: Systems Control.

The first recipients have been chosen and will be honored at a luncheon on campus on Thursday, February 25.They are Ester Buhl, Lauren Clark, Dustin Hanes, Zachary Jensen, Jonathan Schulz, Casey Strom and

David Brule Sr., an alumnus and longtime supporter of Michigan Technological University, has donated $250,000 to support student scholarships in electrical engineering.Scholarships totaling $50,000 will be awarded each year for five years.

The scholarships are designed to promote the study of electrical power engineering.Recipients of these scholarships will be designated as Systems Control Scholars, in recognition of Brule’s Iron Mountain, Michigan-based company: Systems Control.

The first recipients have been chosen and will be honored at a luncheon on campus on Thursday, February 25.They are Ester Buhl, Lauren Clark, Dustin Hanes, Zachary Jensen, Jonathan Schulz, Casey Strom and Troy Johnston, all electrical engineering majors.

“The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department has a wonderful relationship with Mr. Brule going back many years, and we are truly grateful for everything that he has done, not only for us but for all of Michigan Tech,” said Dan Fuhrmann, chair of the department. “Dave and his colleagues at Systems Control recognize that it is going to take a special effort to meet future workforce needs in power and energy, and they have really raised the bar in terms of the philanthropic response to that need. We are of course delighted that he has chosen to direct his support toward Michigan Tech ECE students,” he added.

Scholarship Winners Speak

“This extremely generous award will have a huge impact on the development of my educational and professional career,” said scholarship winner Lauren Clark, a second-year electrical engineering student from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “I can’t thank Systems Control enough for the opportunities they have given me. I hope to be successful in the power industry, designing economical solutions for people’s energy needs.”

Another recipient, Casey Strom, is a 41-year-old non-traditional student from Calumet. Already a Michigan Tech alumnus in surveying, he decided to return to Tech to earn a second degree in electrical engineering with a focus in power. “My current status makes me ineligible for financial aid other than unsubsidized student loans,” he said. “This scholarship provides capital to help fund my dream of pursuing a career in electric power engineering. This scholarship not only affects me, but my entire family, and makes this endeavor a possibility.”

Both Clark and Strom hope to work for Systems Control.

“Systems Control fully understands the value of the education a Michigan Tech engineer receives,” said Dave Brule. “Newly minted Tech graduates are productive and contribute to their new employer’s mission virtually from day one of employment. Systems Control employs 46 Tech alums currently, and we are actively recruiting more.

A Future at Systems Control

“I am pleased to be able to support the educational and career goals of aspiring electrical engineers with the establishment of the Systems Control Scholarship program,” he went on to say. “It is our goal to attract the best and the brightest among Tech’s electrical engineering students as Systems Control Scholars. We hope to employ them full time upon graduation.

“The power generation, transmission and control industry is in the midst of significant growth and change,” Brule pointed out. “The development of distributed energy, clean technology, grid modernization and grid hardening represent substantial opportunities for years to come, for Systems Control and its customers. We need to develop, attract and retain the best and the brightest to this exciting field, such that Systems Control can continue in its leadership role as North America’s largest manufacturer of electrical control panels and substation equipment enclosures.”

Systems Control, a division of Northern Star Industries, Inc., is North America’s leader in the design and manufacture of engineered solutions that enable the reliable delivery of energy. The company employs more than 500 people at its Iron Mountain facility, providing engineered solutions for the production of electrical control panels, sub-station control enclosures, energy storage enclosures and electrical transmission protection services.

Houghton SmartZone Office

“Our solutions help energy transmission companies bring power from the source of generation to the consumer,” said David Rowe, manager of Systems Control’s Houghton SmartZone office.

The company’s SmartZone office opened last May and now employs three full-time staff—all Michigan Tech alumni—and seven interns from the University. Rowe said he can see an additional 10 to 15 Systems Control employees in Houghton within a year or two.

In an effort to expand student competencies related to the automotive industry, the General Motors Foundation, a long-time supporter of Michigan Technological University, has awarded the University a $110,000 grant through its University/Organization Partner Program.

A significant portion of the GM Foundation grant will establish a new manufacturing engineering initiative. The grant will also provide continuing support for a variety of student activities, including the Advanced Hybrid Electric Vehicle and Advanced Motorsports Enterprises, pre-college STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) outreach, underrepresented student groups and diversity programs.

Manufacturing Engineering

The manufacturing engineering initiative will focus on student projects to raise awareness

In an effort to expand student competencies related to the automotive industry, the General Motors Foundation, a long-time supporter of Michigan Technological University, has awarded the University a $110,000 grant through its University/Organization Partner Program.

A significant portion of the GM Foundation grant will establish a new manufacturing engineering initiative. The grant will also provide continuing support for a variety of student activities, including the Advanced Hybrid Electric Vehicle and Advanced Motorsports Enterprises, pre-college STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) outreach, underrepresented student groups and diversity programs.

Manufacturing Engineering

The manufacturing engineering initiative will focus on student projects to raise awareness among Michigan Tech students that manufacturing engineering is a viable area of study and career path.According to GM, interest in manufacturing engineering among students has been waning, while demand for manufacturing engineers has been increasing.

“General Motors is proud of its long-standing affiliation with Michigan Tech,” said Kurt Wiese, GM’s vice president of global manufacturing engineering. “This grant furthers our support of manufacturing engineering education and will enable the creation of a new initiative in manufacturing engineering. We look forward to continuing our support of Michigan Tech students through engineering projects that utilize and develop advanced, real-world manufacturing technologies. There is a growing need for talented manufacturing engineers, and this grant will leverage the world-class engineering faculty at Michigan Tech to offer students exposure to manufacturing engineering technologies that will prepare them for the challenges in today's automotive industry.”

The new manufacturing engineering initiative will be part of Michigan Tech’s signature Enterprise Program.Housed in the Pavlis Honors College, the Enterprise Program consists of student-driven, multidisciplinary teams that work like companies on real-world client projects, whether the deliverable is an innovative product, a pioneering solution or a much-needed service. The hallmark of the Enterprise Program is the experiential training it provides to students.

Pavlis Honors College

"Michigan Tech's Pavlis Honors College is excited to work with the General Motors Foundation to develop Enterprise projects that highlight the engineering career opportunities available in manufacturing,” said Joe Thompson, sponsored projects manager of the Pavlis Honors College.“Our Enterprise program’s strong history of real-world project experience fits well with GM's desire to support the next generation of manufacturing engineers."

The manufacturing engineering initiative will be designed and developed as a cross-disciplinary program. Students will focus on solving today’s manufacturing problems, as well as learning the fundamentals of manufacturing products for many different industries, including automotive. The program will provide opportunities for students to get involved with the early stages of product life, incorporating design for manufacturing initiatives and becoming familiar with recent improvements to machining and state-of-the-art materials.Students will also gain knowledge of the assembly process and machine controls through the development of their own products.

Michigan Tech, General Motors and the GM Foundation have had a long-standing partnership dating back to at least 1940, supporting a wide range of activities across campus including scholarships, Senior Design and Enterprise projects, student organizations, sponsored research, recruiting support, youth programs, diversity initiatives and more.

Through the University/Organization Partner Program, the GM Foundation annually grants $3 million to support leading universities and partnering organizations across the country. The program aims to strengthen higher education curricula in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and other fields important to the automotive industry, to prepare more students to graduate with related degrees. The funds also support design and manufacturing degree programs, diversity initiatives, student organizations and career development resources.

About the General Motors Foundation

Since its inception in 1976, the GM Foundation has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to American charities, educational organizations and to disaster relief efforts worldwide. The GM Foundation focuses on supporting Education, Health and Human Services, the Environment and Community Development initiatives, mainly in the communities where GM operates. Funding of the GM Foundation comes solely from GM. The last contribution to the GM Foundation was made in 2001. For more information, visit www.gm.com/gmfoundation.

Related Stories

]]></body></html>In an effort to expand student competencies related to the automotive industry, the General Motors Foundation, a long-time supporter of Michigan Technological University, has awarded the University a $110,000 grant through its University/Organization Partner Program.

A significant portion of the GM Foundation grant will establish a new manufacturing engineering initiative. The grant will also provide continuing support for a variety of student activities, including the Advanced Hybrid Electric Vehicle and Advanced Motorsports Enterprises, pre-college STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) outreach, underrepresented student groups and diversity programs.

Manufacturing Engineering

The manufacturing engineering initiative will focus on student projects to raise awareness

In an effort to expand student competencies related to the automotive industry, the General Motors Foundation, a long-time supporter of Michigan Technological University, has awarded the University a $110,000 grant through its University/Organization Partner Program.

A significant portion of the GM Foundation grant will establish a new manufacturing engineering initiative. The grant will also provide continuing support for a variety of student activities, including the Advanced Hybrid Electric Vehicle and Advanced Motorsports Enterprises, pre-college STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) outreach, underrepresented student groups and diversity programs.

Manufacturing Engineering

The manufacturing engineering initiative will focus on student projects to raise awareness among Michigan Tech students that manufacturing engineering is a viable area of study and career path.According to GM, interest in manufacturing engineering among students has been waning, while demand for manufacturing engineers has been increasing.

“General Motors is proud of its long-standing affiliation with Michigan Tech,” said Kurt Wiese, GM’s vice president of global manufacturing engineering. “This grant furthers our support of manufacturing engineering education and will enable the creation of a new initiative in manufacturing engineering. We look forward to continuing our support of Michigan Tech students through engineering projects that utilize and develop advanced, real-world manufacturing technologies. There is a growing need for talented manufacturing engineers, and this grant will leverage the world-class engineering faculty at Michigan Tech to offer students exposure to manufacturing engineering technologies that will prepare them for the challenges in today's automotive industry.”

The new manufacturing engineering initiative will be part of Michigan Tech’s signature Enterprise Program.Housed in the Pavlis Honors College, the Enterprise Program consists of student-driven, multidisciplinary teams that work like companies on real-world client projects, whether the deliverable is an innovative product, a pioneering solution or a much-needed service. The hallmark of the Enterprise Program is the experiential training it provides to students.

Pavlis Honors College

"Michigan Tech's Pavlis Honors College is excited to work with the General Motors Foundation to develop Enterprise projects that highlight the engineering career opportunities available in manufacturing,” said Joe Thompson, sponsored projects manager of the Pavlis Honors College.“Our Enterprise program’s strong history of real-world project experience fits well with GM's desire to support the next generation of manufacturing engineers."

The manufacturing engineering initiative will be designed and developed as a cross-disciplinary program. Students will focus on solving today’s manufacturing problems, as well as learning the fundamentals of manufacturing products for many different industries, including automotive. The program will provide opportunities for students to get involved with the early stages of product life, incorporating design for manufacturing initiatives and becoming familiar with recent improvements to machining and state-of-the-art materials.Students will also gain knowledge of the assembly process and machine controls through the development of their own products.

Michigan Tech, General Motors and the GM Foundation have had a long-standing partnership dating back to at least 1940, supporting a wide range of activities across campus including scholarships, Senior Design and Enterprise projects, student organizations, sponsored research, recruiting support, youth programs, diversity initiatives and more.

Through the University/Organization Partner Program, the GM Foundation annually grants $3 million to support leading universities and partnering organizations across the country. The program aims to strengthen higher education curricula in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and other fields important to the automotive industry, to prepare more students to graduate with related degrees. The funds also support design and manufacturing degree programs, diversity initiatives, student organizations and career development resources.

About the General Motors Foundation

Since its inception in 1976, the GM Foundation has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to American charities, educational organizations and to disaster relief efforts worldwide. The GM Foundation focuses on supporting Education, Health and Human Services, the Environment and Community Development initiatives, mainly in the communities where GM operates. Funding of the GM Foundation comes solely from GM. The last contribution to the GM Foundation was made in 2001. For more information, visit www.gm.com/gmfoundation.

Art and Science Join Hands to Prevent Bird-Window Collisions

Could images of a Husky sled dog team or archetypal Copper Country miners save the lives of birds?Michigan Tech Department of Visual and Performing Arts faculty and students think they could, if they were applied to or designed into the windows on campus.

Lisa Johnson de Gordillo, assistant professor in Visual and Performing Arts, and her 2-D and 3-D design students, have been collaborating with the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science for the past three semesters to develop possible strategies to prevent bird-window collisions on campus.

It all began when Amber Roth, former SFRES research assistant professor,

Could images of a Husky sled dog team or archetypal Copper Country miners save the lives of birds?Michigan Tech Department of Visual and Performing Arts faculty and students think they could, if they were applied to or designed into the windows on campus.

Lisa Johnson de Gordillo, assistant professor in Visual and Performing Arts, and her 2-D and 3-D design students, have been collaborating with the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science for the past three semesters to develop possible strategies to prevent bird-window collisions on campus.

It all began when Amber Roth, former SFRES research assistant professor, and Michigan Tech’s Wildlife Society started studying why birds were flying into windows around campus. Their efforts caught Johnson de Gordillo’s attention, and she put her design students to work on solutions.

During the 2015 fall semester, the 2-D design students developed design proposals for the skywalk between the Van Pelt and Opie Library and Rekhi Hall. With crowdfunding from Superior Ideas, the students developed prototypes. Their design prototypes, rendered on canvas and printed locally, were displayed in the skywalk in early December.

VPA Student Designs on Display in Forestry

This semester, they will be on display in the SFRES Noblet Building atrium from March 1 through April 1.

Some of the designs include a Husky sled dog team, Michigan Tech’s school song and a tribute to the area’s rich mining history.

Kitty Williams, a second-year stage and entertainment technology major, created the miners design with partner Jamie Aneshansel."The number of birds who die from crashing into windows is sobering- approximately two billion annually in America and Canada,” she said. “If Michigan Tech decides to approve this project, it will be a wonderful step towards preserving a portion of the wildlife in our beautiful area, as well as bringing more art to campus."

Ideally, Johnson de Gordillo would like the university to work with student designers to develop a design that could be applied to the school’s most troublesome windows. Designs applied in front of glass windows can break up the window’s reflection so that birds perceive (and therefore don’t strike) the glass.

Designs could be printed and applied as window stickers, turned into cut-away sculptures or etched into the glass.

“Long term, my great hope is that the university would actually use one of the student designs,” says Johnson de Gordillo. “If I dream a little further, I wonder if there are opportunities for Michigan Tech to develop a new solution or develop a new material at the forefront of technology—bringing art, science and forest resources together in a collaboration.”

Related Stories

]]></body></html>Could images of a Husky sled dog team or archetypal Copper Country miners save the lives of birds?Michigan Tech Department of Visual and Performing Arts faculty and students think they could, if they were applied to or designed into the windows on campus.

Lisa Johnson de Gordillo, assistant professor in Visual and Performing Arts, and her 2-D and 3-D design students, have been collaborating with the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science for the past three semesters to develop possible strategies to prevent bird-window collisions on campus.

It all began when Amber Roth, former SFRES research assistant professor,

Could images of a Husky sled dog team or archetypal Copper Country miners save the lives of birds?Michigan Tech Department of Visual and Performing Arts faculty and students think they could, if they were applied to or designed into the windows on campus.

Lisa Johnson de Gordillo, assistant professor in Visual and Performing Arts, and her 2-D and 3-D design students, have been collaborating with the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science for the past three semesters to develop possible strategies to prevent bird-window collisions on campus.

It all began when Amber Roth, former SFRES research assistant professor, and Michigan Tech’s Wildlife Society started studying why birds were flying into windows around campus. Their efforts caught Johnson de Gordillo’s attention, and she put her design students to work on solutions.

During the 2015 fall semester, the 2-D design students developed design proposals for the skywalk between the Van Pelt and Opie Library and Rekhi Hall. With crowdfunding from Superior Ideas, the students developed prototypes. Their design prototypes, rendered on canvas and printed locally, were displayed in the skywalk in early December.

VPA Student Designs on Display in Forestry

This semester, they will be on display in the SFRES Noblet Building atrium from March 1 through April 1.

Some of the designs include a Husky sled dog team, Michigan Tech’s school song and a tribute to the area’s rich mining history.

Kitty Williams, a second-year stage and entertainment technology major, created the miners design with partner Jamie Aneshansel."The number of birds who die from crashing into windows is sobering- approximately two billion annually in America and Canada,” she said. “If Michigan Tech decides to approve this project, it will be a wonderful step towards preserving a portion of the wildlife in our beautiful area, as well as bringing more art to campus."

Ideally, Johnson de Gordillo would like the university to work with student designers to develop a design that could be applied to the school’s most troublesome windows. Designs applied in front of glass windows can break up the window’s reflection so that birds perceive (and therefore don’t strike) the glass.

Designs could be printed and applied as window stickers, turned into cut-away sculptures or etched into the glass.

“Long term, my great hope is that the university would actually use one of the student designs,” says Johnson de Gordillo. “If I dream a little further, I wonder if there are opportunities for Michigan Tech to develop a new solution or develop a new material at the forefront of technology—bringing art, science and forest resources together in a collaboration.”

Three Michigan Universities Receive Pacesetters Awards to Attract More Women to Computer Science

Michigan Technological University, Michigan State University and the University of Michigan have been selected for the National Center of Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) Pacesetters program sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Google and Qualcomm. Pacesetters is a 2-year program under which participating institutions develop aggressive and measurable goals for increasing the number of women in the US computing and technology workforce.

Michigan has more than 16,000 job openings in computing right now, according to code.org, a nonprofit founded to improve access to computer science for women and underrepresented minorities.

With three universities chosen and a community college

Michigan Technological University, Michigan State University and the University of Michigan have been selected for the National Center of Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) Pacesetters program sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Google and Qualcomm. Pacesetters is a 2-year program under which participating institutions develop aggressive and measurable goals for increasing the number of women in the US computing and technology workforce.

Michigan has more than 16,000 job openings in computing right now, according to code.org, a nonprofit founded to improve access to computer science for women and underrepresented minorities.

With three universities chosen and a community college partnership, Michigan is one of the three best-represented states in Pacesetters.

Women in Computing

This is the second Pacesetters grant that Michigan Tech has received. “We had been selected for the 2013 cohort, and the decision to apply again was a simple one,” says Linda Ott, a professor of computer science and associate dean of special initiatives in the College of Sciences and Arts. “Although we’ve made progress, we still have a long way to go.” Ott, former chair of computer science, has been the driving force in getting Michigan Tech Pacesetters grants from the NCWIT.

“We had percentages of female students in the single digits for decades,” says Ott referring to the number of female computer science majors. “We set a goal to double it, and we hit that goal this fall.”

NCWIT introduced a new two-track program this year to distinguish organizations new to the program from those that have participated before.

This year’s grants went to 42 organizations nationwide, including Michigan Tech, the University of Michigan and Michigan State.Tech is the only one from Michigan that has participated before, although Michigan State and UM have been active in NCWIT’s Academic Alliance and Extension Services for Undergraduate Programs.

Michigan Tech

Michigan Tech will expand on the successful outreach programs that were developed during the initial Pacesetters project. Tech also plans to encourage alumnae across Michigan to support local outreach programs in an effort to broaden the impact statewide.

“A big advantage of being a part of this program is the opportunity to work with others, sharing ideas and support,” says Ott. “With a larger infrastructure, we can make an impact. To recruit more women to computing science, we need to work on a global level. So many girls are not exposed to computer science, programming and that type of problem solving in high school, and they don’t realize they might like it.”

Michigan Tech has been working to improve that pre-college experience. The University’s Summer Youth Programs offers a week-long Women in Computer Science (WICS) session that introduces pre-college women to the computing sciences. During the school year, Tech hosts outreach programs in the local schools, such as Women in Computing Day.

“Attending WICS made me think more about computer science as a degree, and it made me sure that that was what I wanted to do,” says Emily Morningstar, who attended WICS in 2014 and is now a first-year student in computer science at Michigan Tech. “My advice for pre-college women interested in computer science is that you can do programming. Some people might tell you that you can’t or that it’s not something girls can do, but if it’s what you want to do, you should do it.”

Along with the support from NCWIT, the effort to attract more women to computer science has been possible with the support of many different departments on campus, including Career Services, Admissions, Summer Youth Programs and Enrollment, Marketing, and Communications. “It has taken a broad base of support to be successful,” says Ott. “It means people are realizing the importance of this.”

Michigan State University

NCWIT has also supported broad-based programs to improve recruitment and retention of female engineering students at Michigan State University in multiple grants over the last seven years and through the Extension Services for Undergraduate Programs.Female majors in computer science at MSU have steadily increased from 7 percent in 2008 to the current 13 percent.On the strength of these programs, MSU was awarded a 2015 NCWIT Extension Services Transformation Award.

In its Pacesetters program, Michigan State is partnering with Lansing Community College to increase recruitment and retention of women, first-generation students and students of color in computer science, said Laura Dillon, professor of computer science and engineering at MSU. The partnership will use courses at the community college to provide affordable introductory programming experiences for at-risk students enrolled at Michigan State. Pacesetters will also reach out to K-12 guidance counselors to help broaden the diversity of the computing workforce, Dillon said.

“To be competitive in tomorrow’s economy, Michigan needs the talents and contributions of a more diverse workforce skilled in how to create—not just use—technology,” Dillon explained.“This MSU-LCC Pacesetter partnership is a great opportunity to better support and prepare diverse students, many of whom lack opportunity in K-12, for the rigors of the computer science major at MSU.And getting the message about computing to K-12 administrators and guidance counselors is critical to solving the pipeline problem.”

University of Michigan

There is a high level of enthusiasm at the University of Michigan for the Pacesetters program. “In my view, Pacesetters is a great way for academic institutions to collaborate and arrive at an aggressive plan to accomplish a 50/50 (female/male) representation in computer science within four years,” says Mary Lou Dorf, a lecturer in computer science at UM. “Female computer science majors at UM have increased from 12 to 18 percent in the last five years, even as the overall number of CS majors has more than doubled to over 1,000. I believe that with a continued focus on this issue, we can achieve 50/50 representation.”

In addition to building a K-12 pipeline, higher education institutions must make the structural changes necessary to transform CS programs into more welcoming environments, Dorf says.At UM, events have been designed to showcase the potential for impact in CS, and courses have been redesigned with an across-the-board focus on inclusiveness and teamwork. Student groups exist for both undergraduate and graduate women, and the department sponsors participation in conferences and associations dedicated to equity in computing.

“Our goal is to embody a spirit of inclusiveness that will attract a broad and growing array of students into computer science, while at the same time providing support for women and other underrepresented groups in order to help them access these programs,”Dorf says.

Related Stories

]]></body></html>Michigan Technological University, Michigan State University and the University of Michigan have been selected for the National Center of Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) Pacesetters program sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Google and Qualcomm. Pacesetters is a 2-year program under which participating institutions develop aggressive and measurable goals for increasing the number of women in the US computing and technology workforce.

Michigan has more than 16,000 job openings in computing right now, according to code.org, a nonprofit founded to improve access to computer science for women and underrepresented minorities.

With three universities chosen and a community college

Michigan Technological University, Michigan State University and the University of Michigan have been selected for the National Center of Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) Pacesetters program sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Google and Qualcomm. Pacesetters is a 2-year program under which participating institutions develop aggressive and measurable goals for increasing the number of women in the US computing and technology workforce.

Michigan has more than 16,000 job openings in computing right now, according to code.org, a nonprofit founded to improve access to computer science for women and underrepresented minorities.

With three universities chosen and a community college partnership, Michigan is one of the three best-represented states in Pacesetters.

Women in Computing

This is the second Pacesetters grant that Michigan Tech has received. “We had been selected for the 2013 cohort, and the decision to apply again was a simple one,” says Linda Ott, a professor of computer science and associate dean of special initiatives in the College of Sciences and Arts. “Although we’ve made progress, we still have a long way to go.” Ott, former chair of computer science, has been the driving force in getting Michigan Tech Pacesetters grants from the NCWIT.

“We had percentages of female students in the single digits for decades,” says Ott referring to the number of female computer science majors. “We set a goal to double it, and we hit that goal this fall.”

NCWIT introduced a new two-track program this year to distinguish organizations new to the program from those that have participated before.

This year’s grants went to 42 organizations nationwide, including Michigan Tech, the University of Michigan and Michigan State.Tech is the only one from Michigan that has participated before, although Michigan State and UM have been active in NCWIT’s Academic Alliance and Extension Services for Undergraduate Programs.

Michigan Tech

Michigan Tech will expand on the successful outreach programs that were developed during the initial Pacesetters project. Tech also plans to encourage alumnae across Michigan to support local outreach programs in an effort to broaden the impact statewide.

“A big advantage of being a part of this program is the opportunity to work with others, sharing ideas and support,” says Ott. “With a larger infrastructure, we can make an impact. To recruit more women to computing science, we need to work on a global level. So many girls are not exposed to computer science, programming and that type of problem solving in high school, and they don’t realize they might like it.”

Michigan Tech has been working to improve that pre-college experience. The University’s Summer Youth Programs offers a week-long Women in Computer Science (WICS) session that introduces pre-college women to the computing sciences. During the school year, Tech hosts outreach programs in the local schools, such as Women in Computing Day.

“Attending WICS made me think more about computer science as a degree, and it made me sure that that was what I wanted to do,” says Emily Morningstar, who attended WICS in 2014 and is now a first-year student in computer science at Michigan Tech. “My advice for pre-college women interested in computer science is that you can do programming. Some people might tell you that you can’t or that it’s not something girls can do, but if it’s what you want to do, you should do it.”

Along with the support from NCWIT, the effort to attract more women to computer science has been possible with the support of many different departments on campus, including Career Services, Admissions, Summer Youth Programs and Enrollment, Marketing, and Communications. “It has taken a broad base of support to be successful,” says Ott. “It means people are realizing the importance of this.”

Michigan State University

NCWIT has also supported broad-based programs to improve recruitment and retention of female engineering students at Michigan State University in multiple grants over the last seven years and through the Extension Services for Undergraduate Programs.Female majors in computer science at MSU have steadily increased from 7 percent in 2008 to the current 13 percent.On the strength of these programs, MSU was awarded a 2015 NCWIT Extension Services Transformation Award.

In its Pacesetters program, Michigan State is partnering with Lansing Community College to increase recruitment and retention of women, first-generation students and students of color in computer science, said Laura Dillon, professor of computer science and engineering at MSU. The partnership will use courses at the community college to provide affordable introductory programming experiences for at-risk students enrolled at Michigan State. Pacesetters will also reach out to K-12 guidance counselors to help broaden the diversity of the computing workforce, Dillon said.

“To be competitive in tomorrow’s economy, Michigan needs the talents and contributions of a more diverse workforce skilled in how to create—not just use—technology,” Dillon explained.“This MSU-LCC Pacesetter partnership is a great opportunity to better support and prepare diverse students, many of whom lack opportunity in K-12, for the rigors of the computer science major at MSU.And getting the message about computing to K-12 administrators and guidance counselors is critical to solving the pipeline problem.”

University of Michigan

There is a high level of enthusiasm at the University of Michigan for the Pacesetters program. “In my view, Pacesetters is a great way for academic institutions to collaborate and arrive at an aggressive plan to accomplish a 50/50 (female/male) representation in computer science within four years,” says Mary Lou Dorf, a lecturer in computer science at UM. “Female computer science majors at UM have increased from 12 to 18 percent in the last five years, even as the overall number of CS majors has more than doubled to over 1,000. I believe that with a continued focus on this issue, we can achieve 50/50 representation.”

In addition to building a K-12 pipeline, higher education institutions must make the structural changes necessary to transform CS programs into more welcoming environments, Dorf says.At UM, events have been designed to showcase the potential for impact in CS, and courses have been redesigned with an across-the-board focus on inclusiveness and teamwork. Student groups exist for both undergraduate and graduate women, and the department sponsors participation in conferences and associations dedicated to equity in computing.

“Our goal is to embody a spirit of inclusiveness that will attract a broad and growing array of students into computer science, while at the same time providing support for women and other underrepresented groups in order to help them access these programs,”Dorf says.

Classes Plus AmeriCorps VISTA Equals a Michigan Tech Master's Degree

Martin Aksentowitz is earning his master’s degree at Michigan Technological University. And he’s doing it while assessing the health of forests in Colorado.

Aksentowitz is an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) member with the San Isabel Land Protection Trust (SILPT) in Westcliffe, Colorado. When he finishes his AmeriCorps VISTA service with landowners of the 40,321 acres in south central Colorado, he’ll receive his Master of Forestry from Michigan Tech.Aksentowitz completed three semesters towards the master’s degree on campus and now is finishing his degree as an AmeriCorps VISTA at SILPT.

A partnership established in 2012 between

Martin Aksentowitz is earning his master’s degree at Michigan Technological University. And he’s doing it while assessing the health of forests in Colorado.

Aksentowitz is an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) member with the San Isabel Land Protection Trust (SILPT) in Westcliffe, Colorado. When he finishes his AmeriCorps VISTA service with landowners of the 40,321 acres in south central Colorado, he’ll receive his Master of Forestry from Michigan Tech.Aksentowitz completed three semesters towards the master’s degree on campus and now is finishing his degree as an AmeriCorps VISTA at SILPT.

A partnership established in 2012 between Michigan Tech and the US Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE)/VISTA Teams enables participating AmeriCorps members to receive credit toward a graduate degree while completing a year of service. Michigan Tech provides a scholarship that covers one-third of tuition for classes and full tuition while participants complete a year of service. This graduate program is available in nine academic fields at Tech and is available to all AmeriCorps members serving with the Build, Restore, Innovate, Develop, Grow, Empower (BRIDGE) Network.

San Isabel Land Protection Trust

SILPT is a non-profit that works to protect lands within a four-county region. The area has a long history of productive agriculture and ranching that has provided a reliable income for its rural landowners.

But changes in land ownership can lead to environmental and economic challenges, threatening water rights and sound land management practices. That, in turn, can place residents in economic jeopardy.

With a poverty rate already 10 percent higher than Colorado as a whole, the area is not prepared to withstand such instability. Protecting the landscape becomes vital to supporting the economy.

Serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA with SILPT, Aksentowitz is working with landowners who have placed their property under the trust’s conservation easements. In addition to coordinating improvement projects at the town’s Bluff Park, he developed a Forest Health Assessment initiative, which landowners use to share their concerns with SILPT.

“Fire is often at the forefront of their worries,” he says.

Bugs, Trees, Diseases

Aksentowitz walks the landowners’ property with them, looking for pests that could pose a threat, such as western spruce budworm, mountain pine beetle, pine engraver and tent caterpillars.He also catalogs species of trees, plants, animals and insects and discusses land management options such as thinning stands of trees. He prepares a report for their records and informs them of management publications and services offered by the Colorado State Forest Service Conservation District. It’s all done at no charge.

“The landowners I’ve met with have been extremely positive and kind,” Aksentowitz says. “It’s become my favorite part of the job.”

After earning a BA in History from Northern Arizona University, Aksentowitz served with the Peace Corps in Moldova, an eastern European country that borders Romania and Ukraine.Trying to decide what he should do when his Peace Corps service ended, he learned of the AmeriCorps VISTA position in Colorado and discovered that he could earn a master’s degree at the same time with reduced tuition.“Within a month of returning from Moldova,” he says, “I was in a classroom at Michigan Tech.”

Aksentowitz says that frankly, he was surprised by how much he learned in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science at Michigan Tech. “It’s a very intense master’s program,” he explains, “but the hard work paid off. I finished my studies and felt confident to start working.”

Aksentowitz also has high praise for the way Michigan Tech is helping him find a job after he gets his degree.“The professors and advisors at Tech went above and beyond what I expected to help me find work and make connections while job searching,” he says. The VISTA program also gives him a year of “non-compete” status after his service, a federal job status that gives his resume special priority in applying for federal jobs.

With his graduate degree in forestry in hand, Aksentowitz would like to find a job in silviculture—planned establishment and management of forests—to get more field experience. Eventually, his goal is to work for The Nature Conservancy.

“Martin is exactly the kind of person who fits the VISTA program. He has a great ability to use technical skills in a way that reaches people. Today employers demand technical skills but they are also looking for people who can communicate and work with a wide range of stakeholders. The VISTA program allows students to put both kinds of skills to use.”

Related Stories

]]></body></html>Martin Aksentowitz is earning his master’s degree at Michigan Technological University. And he’s doing it while assessing the health of forests in Colorado.

Aksentowitz is an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) member with the San Isabel Land Protection Trust (SILPT) in Westcliffe, Colorado. When he finishes his AmeriCorps VISTA service with landowners of the 40,321 acres in south central Colorado, he’ll receive his Master of Forestry from Michigan Tech.Aksentowitz completed three semesters towards the master’s degree on campus and now is finishing his degree as an AmeriCorps VISTA at SILPT.

A partnership established in 2012 between

Martin Aksentowitz is earning his master’s degree at Michigan Technological University. And he’s doing it while assessing the health of forests in Colorado.

Aksentowitz is an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) member with the San Isabel Land Protection Trust (SILPT) in Westcliffe, Colorado. When he finishes his AmeriCorps VISTA service with landowners of the 40,321 acres in south central Colorado, he’ll receive his Master of Forestry from Michigan Tech.Aksentowitz completed three semesters towards the master’s degree on campus and now is finishing his degree as an AmeriCorps VISTA at SILPT.

A partnership established in 2012 between Michigan Tech and the US Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE)/VISTA Teams enables participating AmeriCorps members to receive credit toward a graduate degree while completing a year of service. Michigan Tech provides a scholarship that covers one-third of tuition for classes and full tuition while participants complete a year of service. This graduate program is available in nine academic fields at Tech and is available to all AmeriCorps members serving with the Build, Restore, Innovate, Develop, Grow, Empower (BRIDGE) Network.

San Isabel Land Protection Trust

SILPT is a non-profit that works to protect lands within a four-county region. The area has a long history of productive agriculture and ranching that has provided a reliable income for its rural landowners.

But changes in land ownership can lead to environmental and economic challenges, threatening water rights and sound land management practices. That, in turn, can place residents in economic jeopardy.

With a poverty rate already 10 percent higher than Colorado as a whole, the area is not prepared to withstand such instability. Protecting the landscape becomes vital to supporting the economy.

Serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA with SILPT, Aksentowitz is working with landowners who have placed their property under the trust’s conservation easements. In addition to coordinating improvement projects at the town’s Bluff Park, he developed a Forest Health Assessment initiative, which landowners use to share their concerns with SILPT.

“Fire is often at the forefront of their worries,” he says.

Bugs, Trees, Diseases

Aksentowitz walks the landowners’ property with them, looking for pests that could pose a threat, such as western spruce budworm, mountain pine beetle, pine engraver and tent caterpillars.He also catalogs species of trees, plants, animals and insects and discusses land management options such as thinning stands of trees. He prepares a report for their records and informs them of management publications and services offered by the Colorado State Forest Service Conservation District. It’s all done at no charge.

“The landowners I’ve met with have been extremely positive and kind,” Aksentowitz says. “It’s become my favorite part of the job.”

After earning a BA in History from Northern Arizona University, Aksentowitz served with the Peace Corps in Moldova, an eastern European country that borders Romania and Ukraine.Trying to decide what he should do when his Peace Corps service ended, he learned of the AmeriCorps VISTA position in Colorado and discovered that he could earn a master’s degree at the same time with reduced tuition.“Within a month of returning from Moldova,” he says, “I was in a classroom at Michigan Tech.”

Aksentowitz says that frankly, he was surprised by how much he learned in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science at Michigan Tech. “It’s a very intense master’s program,” he explains, “but the hard work paid off. I finished my studies and felt confident to start working.”

Aksentowitz also has high praise for the way Michigan Tech is helping him find a job after he gets his degree.“The professors and advisors at Tech went above and beyond what I expected to help me find work and make connections while job searching,” he says. The VISTA program also gives him a year of “non-compete” status after his service, a federal job status that gives his resume special priority in applying for federal jobs.

With his graduate degree in forestry in hand, Aksentowitz would like to find a job in silviculture—planned establishment and management of forests—to get more field experience. Eventually, his goal is to work for The Nature Conservancy.

“Martin is exactly the kind of person who fits the VISTA program. He has a great ability to use technical skills in a way that reaches people. Today employers demand technical skills but they are also looking for people who can communicate and work with a wide range of stakeholders. The VISTA program allows students to put both kinds of skills to use.”

Modeling and Simulation: Physics and Math Become a Design Tool

There’s a new way of doing mechanical engineering, and Michigan Technological University is taking steps to make sure that their students come out of school skilled at using the new technology.

HyperWorks® modeling and simulation software developed by Altair, a technology and services company that focuses on business and engineering innovation, is delivering a new class of design tools for tomorrow’s engineer. And Michigan Tech is one of the first engineering schools to incorporate this commercial suite of computer-aided engineering software into its entire mechanical engineering curriculum.

The software enables engineers to do simulation-driven design, which takes the place of

There’s a new way of doing mechanical engineering, and Michigan Technological University is taking steps to make sure that their students come out of school skilled at using the new technology.

HyperWorks® modeling and simulation software developed by Altair, a technology and services company that focuses on business and engineering innovation, is delivering a new class of design tools for tomorrow’s engineer. And Michigan Tech is one of the first engineering schools to incorporate this commercial suite of computer-aided engineering software into its entire mechanical engineering curriculum.

The software enables engineers to do simulation-driven design, which takes the place of prototyping, testing and prototyping again. “It’s faster and cheaper,” says Associate Professor Chuck Van Karsen, who teaches the new Altair software. “Students are learning to make better decisions without as much guesswork.”

Now, instead of guessing what their engineering project should look like, building it, testing it to see what doesn’t work, going back and building it again, engineers — and Tech engineering students — are sitting down to their computers, where they enter the parameters, and the software does the complicated math and physics for them, generating a colorful, three-D model that they can virtually test, explore, and alter over and over.

“It’s more than a tool,” says Altair’s chief operating officer, Brett Chouinard, a Michigan Tech alumnus. “Industry is using simulation to drive innovation and the direction of product design.”

Take virtual crash testing, for example. “We can evaluate hundreds of design variations through optimization to improve passenger safety without having to do hundreds of physical [vehicle] crashes,” Chouinard explains. “We can build and run a virtual model in 24 hours that would take months to build and test physically.”

Michigan Tech and Altair

Michigan Tech has a lot of ties to Altair—Chouinard, the company’s chief operating officer, serves on the ME-EM Advisory Board; another alumnus, Michael Heskitt one of Altair’s Chief Technical Officers and yet another alumnus, Erik Larson, is an Applications Engineer and Training Manager.

Bill Predebon, chair of Michigan Tech’s Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, uses a lot of modeling and simulation in his own research, so he’s been following Altair’s pioneering efforts on that front closely.He visited Chouinard a couple of years ago, “and I was very impressed with the optimization capabilities of their simulation software,” he says.

Predebon returned to Tech determined to make Altair’s simulation software a cornerstone of his curriculum.He found enthusiastic advocates in Van Karsen and Jim DeClerck, a professor of practice in mechanical engineering.

Job Skills

“We want to teach skills that the students are going to need on the job,” says Van Karsen.“This solves the physics problem. It does the math for the students, does it accurately and does it fast.”

In other words, the technology transforms a physics and math problem to be solved into a design tool, allowing students to apply their engineering knowledge and creativity to explore solutions to meet complex design challenges.

DeClerck, who worked in industry, says the software “brings a dose of reality to engineering education.In industry, the question comes down to, is your customer happy or sad?And there’s no equation for that.”

Last year, ME-EM incorporated Altair’s simulation software into its second-year curriculum.This year, second and third-year students are using it. By next year, it will be a pervasive tool from the second through fourth year of mechanical engineering studies.

Second-year students use the Altair software to model and predict the deflection of a truss bridge.Then they build a plastic model of the bridge and compare their results to the software’s.Following that static design project, the students design and model a crane, with its additional dynamic challenge of weight and mass that is swinging around.

Harry Potter Elevator

Third-year students are using Altair to model an even more challenging project.They are simulating and building a “Harry Potter elevator” that goes up, then moves sideways, then goes up again.

The simulation projects all feed into ME-EM’s signature Senior Capstone Design program during the mechanical engineering students’ final year.

The new simulation approach is a sea change for mechanical engineering. “When I was a student in the late ‘80s, I might have had one class that touched on simulation,” says Chouinard.Van Karsen agrees.“I’ve been an engineer for 40 years, and I certainly didn’t grow up this way,” he says.

But both believe that the new simulation-based curriculum will prepare engineering students for the workplace that awaits them. “This is a special opportunity to integrate a tool into the curriculum that is beginning to be more and more important in industry,” Chouinard says.

Many engineering schools are using Altair software, but Michigan Tech is the first to incorporate it in the entire mechanical engineering curriculum.Chouinard hopes others will follow.

“Employers are saying, ‘We need students to come out of university with these skills,’” he points out.

Related Stories

]]></body></html>There’s a new way of doing mechanical engineering, and Michigan Technological University is taking steps to make sure that their students come out of school skilled at using the new technology.

HyperWorks® modeling and simulation software developed by Altair, a technology and services company that focuses on business and engineering innovation, is delivering a new class of design tools for tomorrow’s engineer. And Michigan Tech is one of the first engineering schools to incorporate this commercial suite of computer-aided engineering software into its entire mechanical engineering curriculum.

The software enables engineers to do simulation-driven design, which takes the place of

There’s a new way of doing mechanical engineering, and Michigan Technological University is taking steps to make sure that their students come out of school skilled at using the new technology.

HyperWorks® modeling and simulation software developed by Altair, a technology and services company that focuses on business and engineering innovation, is delivering a new class of design tools for tomorrow’s engineer. And Michigan Tech is one of the first engineering schools to incorporate this commercial suite of computer-aided engineering software into its entire mechanical engineering curriculum.

The software enables engineers to do simulation-driven design, which takes the place of prototyping, testing and prototyping again. “It’s faster and cheaper,” says Associate Professor Chuck Van Karsen, who teaches the new Altair software. “Students are learning to make better decisions without as much guesswork.”

Now, instead of guessing what their engineering project should look like, building it, testing it to see what doesn’t work, going back and building it again, engineers — and Tech engineering students — are sitting down to their computers, where they enter the parameters, and the software does the complicated math and physics for them, generating a colorful, three-D model that they can virtually test, explore, and alter over and over.

“It’s more than a tool,” says Altair’s chief operating officer, Brett Chouinard, a Michigan Tech alumnus. “Industry is using simulation to drive innovation and the direction of product design.”

Take virtual crash testing, for example. “We can evaluate hundreds of design variations through optimization to improve passenger safety without having to do hundreds of physical [vehicle] crashes,” Chouinard explains. “We can build and run a virtual model in 24 hours that would take months to build and test physically.”

Michigan Tech and Altair

Michigan Tech has a lot of ties to Altair—Chouinard, the company’s chief operating officer, serves on the ME-EM Advisory Board; another alumnus, Michael Heskitt one of Altair’s Chief Technical Officers and yet another alumnus, Erik Larson, is an Applications Engineer and Training Manager.

Bill Predebon, chair of Michigan Tech’s Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, uses a lot of modeling and simulation in his own research, so he’s been following Altair’s pioneering efforts on that front closely.He visited Chouinard a couple of years ago, “and I was very impressed with the optimization capabilities of their simulation software,” he says.

Predebon returned to Tech determined to make Altair’s simulation software a cornerstone of his curriculum.He found enthusiastic advocates in Van Karsen and Jim DeClerck, a professor of practice in mechanical engineering.

Job Skills

“We want to teach skills that the students are going to need on the job,” says Van Karsen.“This solves the physics problem. It does the math for the students, does it accurately and does it fast.”

In other words, the technology transforms a physics and math problem to be solved into a design tool, allowing students to apply their engineering knowledge and creativity to explore solutions to meet complex design challenges.

DeClerck, who worked in industry, says the software “brings a dose of reality to engineering education.In industry, the question comes down to, is your customer happy or sad?And there’s no equation for that.”

Last year, ME-EM incorporated Altair’s simulation software into its second-year curriculum.This year, second and third-year students are using it. By next year, it will be a pervasive tool from the second through fourth year of mechanical engineering studies.

Second-year students use the Altair software to model and predict the deflection of a truss bridge.Then they build a plastic model of the bridge and compare their results to the software’s.Following that static design project, the students design and model a crane, with its additional dynamic challenge of weight and mass that is swinging around.

Harry Potter Elevator

Third-year students are using Altair to model an even more challenging project.They are simulating and building a “Harry Potter elevator” that goes up, then moves sideways, then goes up again.

The simulation projects all feed into ME-EM’s signature Senior Capstone Design program during the mechanical engineering students’ final year.

The new simulation approach is a sea change for mechanical engineering. “When I was a student in the late ‘80s, I might have had one class that touched on simulation,” says Chouinard.Van Karsen agrees.“I’ve been an engineer for 40 years, and I certainly didn’t grow up this way,” he says.

But both believe that the new simulation-based curriculum will prepare engineering students for the workplace that awaits them. “This is a special opportunity to integrate a tool into the curriculum that is beginning to be more and more important in industry,” Chouinard says.

Many engineering schools are using Altair software, but Michigan Tech is the first to incorporate it in the entire mechanical engineering curriculum.Chouinard hopes others will follow.

“Employers are saying, ‘We need students to come out of university with these skills,’” he points out.